Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

I. Silva et al. 2010. Lisbon’s public gardens, host place for world’s trees
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Lisbon’s ecological, landscape, cultural and historic heritage. At the present time Lisbon’s tree
collection is made up of 18 clusters, 54 single trees belonging to Lisbon Municipal Council and
6 privately owned single trees classified as trees and/or clusters of Public Interest.
Under the Project “Methods of Characterization and Classification of Lisbon’s Public Gardens
of Heritage Interest” (2009) a study was carried out to apply a new methodology to the
measurement of the gardens’ Landscape, Historical and Socio-cultural value.
The aim of this study is to contribute to the effective characterization and evaluation of Lisbon’s
gardens. The overall value attributed to each garden was directly related to its heritage
importance, use as public space and other factors.
2. Methodology
Under the Project “Methods of Characterization and Classification of Lisbon’s Public Gardens
of Heritage Interest” † , a method was devised that gauges the Historic, Landscape and
Sociocultural Value of the 31 gardens studied (see Table 1). Parametric analysis of each value,
using various quality indicators and a scoring system, made it possible to quantify each value
and rank Public Gardens of Heritage Interest. The methodology developed and tested by the
authors is based, among other principles, on surveys carried out by the National Trust of
England and English Heritage.
The Historical value of each garden was evaluated by Landscape Architects, according to
several indicators: origin, evolution, historic style, architectural and artistic integrity.
Public surveys were conducted to determine the Socio-cultural value of the gardens role in
creating healthy communities through recreation and economic sustainability (tourism), leading
ultimately to better management.
Table 1 - Methods of Characterization and Classification of Lisbon’s Public Gardens of Heritage Interest
† In 2009, under an agreement between the Institute of Agronomy (Technical University of Lisbon) and Lisbon Municipal Council,
final year Landscape Architecture students, Elsa Isidro and Isabel Silva, under the supervision of Professors Ana Luísa Soares and
Cristina Castel-Branco and the Landscape Architect Mafalda Farmhouse, developed a Method of Characterization and Classification
of Lisbon’s Public Gardens of Heritage Interest, as part of the end of course work.
Forest Landscapes and Global Change-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation and Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO Landscape Ecology
Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)
2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.